


It All Just Blends Together

by nysa



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Bleeding Effect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-22 10:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13165035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nysa/pseuds/nysa
Summary: Desmond comes back to the Villa hideout with an injury, but they could have a much bigger problem than a sprained wrist.One-shots of Desmond's problems with the bleeding effect, intended to fit into ACB cannon but give us all some much-needed story depth.





	It All Just Blends Together

“You really should be more careful Desmond”, Lucy sighed. “What if you’d gotten really hurt. We can’t risk blowing our cover. Not at a time like this.” She stood up from wrapping Desmond’s wrist and looked down at him with her arms crossed, like a disappointed mother.

“I’m sorry, but maybe you shouldn’t go running around the city anymore. It’s just too dangerous”, she continued. She waited, expecting a rebuttal or at least an excuse. Desmond just sat quietly on the foldable chair, absently rubbing his sprained wrist and staring blankly at the ground.

Lucy had seen that look before, she unfolded her arms and her disappointed demeanor changed to worry.

“Desmond? Are you hearing me?” she questioned.

He startled a bit, then plastered a false smile on his face. “Yeah, sorry. Just tired I guess. I just slipped, but I won’t run on the roofs anymore if that’s what you want.”

Lucy gave him a hard stare, but his calm smile didn’t falter. “Alright. Just.. you had us worried there for a minute. Are you sure everything’s alright?” She paused, not really wanting to ask, “Are they getting any worse?”

Desmond looked up at her face, “What? No. No, it’s fine. Like I said, I was just running too fast and slipped.” He stood up and put his good hand on her shoulder. “I’m fine Lucy. Really.” She searched his face again, but Desmond had grown up with observant assassin’s. Learning to deceive others had become his speciality. She finally seemed appeased that it really was just clumsiness and returned to her desk with a passing comment to tell her if that changed.

 

Desmond agreed, then walked back over to his sleeping bag next to the artifacts he’d collected from Monterrigioni. He’d just laid down on his side and shut his eyes when he heard soft footsteps behind him. The person kneeled down next to him and gently tapped his shoulder.

“Thought you might want some of these,” he said as he held out the nighttime pain reliever. “Huh? Oh right, yeah that should help. Thanks Shaun.” Shaun nodded and handed over a bottle of water. Desmond took the medicine and handed the bottle back. But Shaun stayed where he was, fiddling with the clasp on his watch distractedly.

“Was there something else Shaun?” he asked. Shaun looked back at him and sighed. “You know Desmond, you may be able to fool Rebecca and Lucy with that charm, but you don’t fool me. _You_ don’t just slip”, he said sitting down next to the sleeping bag.

Desmond gave a chuckle that sounded fake, even to himself. “Honestly Shaun, I just-”

“You saw him again didn’t you? Or were you him this time?” Shaun interrupted. His eyes intensely focused on Desmond’s from behind his glasses.

Shaun could see the exact moment when Desmond gave up the facade. “How did you know?”

“It’s my job to find patterns, remember?” was all he said.

Desmond rubbed at the wrap on his wrist again, “Yeah, you’re right. Except this time was different. It was like he looked right at me and waved to me to follow. And I… I can’t really tell if I was following him, or remembering him, or if I was him.” He stopped to look at Shaun as if expecting some offhand remark. But Shaun just listened. For once.

Desmond continued, “Well I was running, and I knew it’s nighttime, but I could  _feel_ the sun on my face and _hear_ the blacksmith. It all just started to blend together. And of course, I was running and following Ezio, but it was back then. Then, I don’t know, I guess one of the beams was removed since then…” and he gestured as if and you get the rest.

Shaun just nodded calmly and pushed his glasses up on his nose. “The bleeding effect is getting worse then. Is this the first time this has happened”, suddenly remembering the time Desmond came back to the hideout with a gash down his arm. Desmond affirmed his suspicion with silence and a stare.

“Right then, well we should probably tell Lucy..” Shaun began. But Desmond’s arm shot out and grabbed his wrist before he had a chance to get up. “No, why worry her? There’s nothing we can do about it anyways. And what’s so bad about seeing him every now and then? It’s like seeing an old friend.” Desmond attempted, trying to lighten the mood.

It seemed to have the opposite effect though, Shaun’s face just darkened, “That’s what 16 used to say.” They both quieted and sat together a while longer. Both of them unable to think of the words to reassure or cheer up the other. He didn’t remember even lying down, much less falling asleep, but when he woke the next morning Shaun was standing in front of his research again. Shaun determined he would put all his effort into the research, helping his friend the only way he knew how.

~~

**Author's Note:**

> So I actually wrote this chapter over a year ago when I was replaying the game and finally reread it. I really like it though and I always wanted some more from this story line, so it might be a WIP. This is my first published piece on AO3 so here goes...


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